Liam Smith produced a devastating knockout of Chris Eubank Jr in Manchester on Saturday night
(Picture: PA)A shocked Chris Eubank Jr suggested he could fight Liam Smith in a huge middleweight rematch at Anfield later this year.
‘Beefy’ produced an epic upset at Manchester’s AO Arena on Saturday night, twice sending a bewildered Eubank Jr to the canvas in round four of a much-anticipated all-British main event with a devastating display of accurate power punching before the referee stepped in to wave it off.
Such a triumph boosted former WBO light-middleweight champion Smith’s hopes of potentially going on to challenge for world honours at a second weight, while Eubank Jr’s aims of attracting big-name title fights in the near future were dealt an enormous blow as he suffered only a third professional loss and first inside the distance.
Eubank Jr has a rematch clause written into his contract and suggested immediately after Saturday’s defeat that a second bout could happen at the home of Smith’s beloved Liverpool Football Club.
“The rematch is on my terms,” Smith told Sky Sports as both men embraced and showed new-found respect for one another to counter the ugly scenes that had marred the pre-fight build-up this week.
“We might even do 158 (pounds) or 157 if you want,” he joked, referencing the weight at which Eubank Jr was supposed to meet Conor Benn in October before Benn’s failed drugs test.
A gracious Eubank Jr, sporting a huge welt below his right eye following a massive uppercut that spelled his demise, responded: “Big congratulations to him.
“I felt like I could have gone on but he caught me with a great shot. The build-up was the build-up, it got a bit ugly at the end and I regretted that.
“I respect you, I respect your family and I always have. If the fans want to see a rematch, we can get it on at Anfield. Big respect.”
Reflecting on his stunning upset, a triumphant Smith said: “I told you all week, a lot got made because Chris has got a great chin. I’ve got a great chin, there’s plenty of fighters with better chins who have been knocked out in the past.
“I told you all week, don’t be surprised. No one can not be hurt. Don’t ever judge it by that.”
